One study concluded that almost 40% of Australian adults suffer from sleep deprivation. This lack of sleep is due to a host of reasons like stress, inconsistent sleep patterns, and even cardiovascular disease.
Difficulty in sleeping or staying asleep is not limited to adults though. People of all ages can suffer from sleep problems of various kinds. While sleeping pills and other aids might help, there are other ways to get quality bed time that will help actually address the problem.
Reading, in a way, is like sleeping. It allows you to relax your mind and is a form of exercise for your mental health. Whether you like hardcover books or are obsessed with your Kindle, a good read will help you get more shut-eye.
Psst, click here if you want to learn about the benefits of reading before bed.
There are lots of books published by sleep experts that are designed to help you get a good night’s sleep. We reviewed these six bestsellers to help you decide what would improve your sleep the most.
1. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
Matthew Walker knows what he’s talking about. As a neuroscientist and a professor at UC Berkeley, his credentials are quite impressive.
What’s good about this book? For starters, it talks about the correlation between lack of sleep and its effect on our lifespan, overall health, and why sleep debt is something we can’t pay off.
He then discusses the importance of maintaining the circadian rhythm, which tells us when to sleep. According to Walker, an out of sync circadian rhythm means not having enough sleep.
Why We Sleep is a very comprehensive and detailed book, focused on the essence of sleep and its effect on wellness, ability to perform mental and physical tasks, and even sleep stages and cycles.
If you’re curious and want an insight to the very science of sleep, Why We Sleep is a good read to start your research and learn more about the way we sleep.
2. Say Good Night to Insomnia by Dr. Gregg D. Jacobs
This book promises a six-week program from the Harvard Medical School that’ll have you sleeping without drugs or other sleep aids in no time. Say Good Night To Sleep is a must-have for people struggling to get some shut eye.
Written by Dr. Gregg D. Jacobs, an insomnia specialist, this book focuses on ways you can achieve healthy sleep naturally. Here, Dr. Jacobs puts the spotlight on active effort towards sleeping.
Some of the means provided in the book include self-assessment that’ll allow the participant to highlight areas to improve, identifying thoughts and behaviours that impact sleep, and other factors that lead to sleepless nights.
Highly informative and educational, Say Good Night to Insomnia can be a formidable read to some as Dr. Jacobs presented his program in a very academic manner. Still, insomniacs can learn a thing or three from his program, making it worth the read.
3. The Sleep Solution by W. Chris Winter M.D.
Written by W. Chris Winter, a neurologist and pioneer in sleep and its connection to athletic activities, The Sleep Solution (Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It) will take you on an exciting journey of sleep discovery.
This book touches a variety of topics, like the correlation between sleep and diet, the importance of napping, and why sleeping pills should be used with precaution. Winter also addresses reasons why some people suffer from sleeplessness.
The Sleep Solution also addresses sleep disorders that affect how much we sleep, namely insomnia, sleep apnea, and even restless leg syndrome, while providing ways to treat these problems.
Armed with 24 years of experience, Winter promises to make you sleep well with his trusty book. It’s definitely one of the best books that must be on your shelf if you’re a sleep and self-help junkie.
4. The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington
Author Arianna Huffington’s last name might ring some bells. Co-founder of the Huffington Post, she stepped down as President of the company in 2016 to focus on a new business focused on health and wellness, Thrive Global.
Perhaps that change in direction led Huffington to write “The Sleep Revolution”, a book that highlights society’s perceived lack of mindfulness towards sleep and its aftermath. Backed with science and personal insight, this book promises to be transformative.
Huffington also tackles some causes of sleep deprivation, namely the current addiction to technology and how it impacts the amount and quality of sleep a person has in a day. She also sheds light on the value of restorative sleep and its benefits.
A New York Times bestseller, Huffington’s The Sleep Revolution is a good blend of science and personal perspective on sleep.
5. Sleeping Through The Night by Jodi A. Mindell
While the first four books are of the self-help variant and focus on your and your sleep, these next two entries are for all the parents out there. Sleeping Through The Night is perfect for those parents who want nothing more than to see their kids get a full night of sleep.
Mindell’s book covers the sleep patterns of infants, toddlers, and their parents. With ten years of experience treating sleep problems involving kids, in “Sleeping Through the Night” Mindell shows how lack of quality sleep can be avoided.
What separates Mindell’s work from others is that it shares tips for the whole sleep journey, starting from the actual bed time and not the usual middle of the night portion. It also touches on how teaching your baby to sleep can affect other members of the family, especially the parents.
A great book for first time or veteran parents, Sleeping Through the Night will have you and your little ones, well, sleeping through the night.
6. Go The F**K To Sleep by Adam Mansbach
Now here’s some comedic relief for parents.. Mansbach’s delightfully written Go The F**K To Sleep touches some areas that parents, whether first timers or seasoned pros can relate to.
Mansbach’s book is hilariously relatable, sort of a bedtime book but for parents. While kids go for rhymed books with cute illustrations, Go The F**K To Sleep caters to mums and dads who are frustrated at their sleepless kids.
Aside from the comical verses, the book is also delightfully illustrated which adds to the humour. As can be guessed from the title, Mansbach isn’t afraid of profanity and in this case, serves to better the overall quality of the work.
A fun read that’ll sure to get a chuckle or five out of you, Go The F**K To Sleep” is a must-have for parents of all ages. It might not actually help you sleep, but it’ll help you laugh through the long nights.
So What’s the Best Book for Sleep?
Let’s be honest. Sometimes we doze off while reading, whether the book we’re reading is supposed to be a page-turner or highly technical. Don’t worry, that’s normal. In fact, some suggest a good book before tucking in for the night.
Some people, however, have a hard time settling down for the night. That’s why it’s good to seek help and research about the causes behind your lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation is a serious issue, and not something you want to let creep up on you.
With these six books, we hope that we helped alleviate that problem somehow. Reading a book is like choosing your favourite ice cream, there’s a flavour for everyone. That said, we hope you find that one of these titles will work for you.